Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2924
A full review by crypticsue
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This puzzle was published on 5th November 2017
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
The perfect level of difficulty for someone who’d had a tiring time in London the day before. My favourite was 5d.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.
Across
1a Self-centred travel in troubled cities (8)
EGOSTIC – GO (travel) in an anagram (troubled) of CITIES
9a What’s detested in every article, mother concludes (8)
ANATHEMA – AN A THE (every type of grammatical article) MA (mother)
10a Letters regularly falling out of mailbags, unfortunately (4)
ALAS – The regular letters falling out of mAiLbAgS
11a Ideal speech for selling musical gift (7,5)
PERFECT PITCH – PERFECT (ideal) PITCH (speech for selling)
13a Home guard who’d act when disturbed? Good (8)
WATCHDOG – An anagram (when disturbed) of WHOD ACT followed by G (good)
15a Pressure to divide excellent meal (6)
SUPPER – P (pressure) divides SUPER (excellent)
16a Starts off aria like true opera singer (4)
ARIA – The ‘starts’ off Aria Like True Opera
17a Isn’t perturbed about a bad mark (5)
STAIN – An anagram (perturbed) of ISNT ‘about’ A (from the clue)
18a Take part in everything that’s jolly (4)
VERY – Lurking in part of eVERYthing
20a Don’t forget about ring (6)
RECALL – RE (about) CALL (ring)
21a Is imprisoned by key and lock, suffering (8)
DISTRESS – IS (from the clue) ‘imprisoned by’ D (musical key) and TRESS (lock of hair)
23a Weird state in US, too fond of self-display (12)
OSTENTATIOUS – An anagram (weird) of STATE IN US TOO
26a Cape that’s over one’s shoulders (4)
HEAD – Cape in the geographical sense; the second bit of the clue being a cryptic reference to a body part
27a Is permitted to do wrong in airline, producing capital (8)
CANBERRA – CAN (is permitted to) followed by ERR (do wrong) in BA (British Airways, airline)
28a Opposite of rare statement of approval (4,4)
WELL DONE – A way of cooking a steak for example, or a statement of approval
Down
2d With beat raised, dance that’s hit on course (4,4)
GOLF BALL – A reversal (raised)of FLOG with BALL (dance)
3d Reinstate cop, possibly in officer’s post (12)
INSPECTORATE – An anagram (possibly) of REINSTATE COP
4d Passionate little heroine switching ends (6)
TORRID – Switch the ends of one of Charles Dicken’s heroines – Little DORRIT
5d Something baked, a piece of which is like pie (4)
CAKE – A piece of cake means the same thing as being as easy as pie
6d Time in European city with an enthusiastic supporter (8)
PARTISAN – T (time) in PARIS (European city) with AN (from the clue)
7d Clobber that’s often worn with pants (4)
BELT – A verb meaning to clobber or something to keep your trousers (pants) up
8d Like man dealing with issue in caring way (8)
FATHERLY – Virgilius does produce some lovely surface readings, especially for all-in-one clues
12d Very poor current politician on left I drop (12)
IMPOVERISHED – I (electrical current) MP (politician) OVER (left) I (from the clue) SHED (dropped)
14d Imposing old relative briefly on daughter (5)
GRAND – GRAN (personally I take exception to the ‘old’ part of this description, abbreviated or otherwise) D (daughter)
16d Music for church service (3,5)
AIR FORCE – AIR (music) FOR (from the clue) CE (Church of England)
17d Beneficial having union after rise in pay (8)
SALUTORY – A reversal (after rise) of TU (Trades Union) inserted into SALARY (pay)
19d Check son getting into coach again (8)
RESTRAIN – S (son) getting into RE TRAIN (coach again)
22d Small shack for tool (6)
SHOVEL – S (small) HOVEL (shack)
24d Explosive stuff about drug that’s secured by guys (4)
TENT – TNT (explosive stuff) ‘about’ E (Ecstasy, drug)
25d What changed as result of spring coming? (4)
THAW – An anagram (changed) of WHAT
S2
This difficulty level is perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon unlike yesterday’s Toughie which I completed only with Gazza’s hints.
Thanks to the setter & to CS for making the effort to review the puzzle after what was probably a tired & emotional day out in London.
Wonderful stuff yet again from Virgilius. 16d favourite, ** / **** for me.
Thanks for explaining 9a – it has been bugging me all week (D’oh!). Thanks CS